Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim agreed to pursue economic cooperation in the Ambalat sea block.
The two leaders discussed boundary issues during their meeting at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on June 27.
At a joint press conference, President Prabowo noted that since resolving border issues often takes time, both sides had agreed to seek mutually beneficial solutions. He stated that, in the case of Ambalat, they aimed to establish economic cooperation under a joint development scheme while awaiting a legal resolution.
He stressed that both governments were in agreement on the importance of advancing economic collaboration without waiting for a final territorial settlement.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed a similar view, acknowledging that a legal resolution could take years but said this should not hinder progress in other areas. He noted that cooperation in the Ambalat area could move forward through a joint development initiative, even if a legal settlement might take up to two decades.
Anwar reaffirmed that both countries could use the intervening period to explore mutually beneficial cooperation and expressed confidence that a quick and fair solution can be found.
In addition to Ambalat, the two leaders also discussed other boundary issues, including the border between Indonesia’s North Kalimantan province and Malaysia’s Sabah state on the island of Borneo.
Prior to broader bilateral talks and a luncheon with their respective delegations, Prabowo and Anwar held a one-on-one meeting lasting about an hour in the president’s office.
Anwar’s visit to Jakarta followed Prabowo’s trip to Kuala Lumpur from May 26–27./.
